Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1887-05-24
SENATOR BLoDoETTs ELECT
RIG SHOCK.

II Was . political thundsr-elsp .hs,
made Rufus Blodse,, Of New Je'sy. un'
tied States Senator. but It .. jus, 81
unexpected .s the shock be rcsissd some
year. ago When be 90, hold OF wire
charged With electricity and VAS knocked
ell In . heap. This 10 what an old isIe-
graph operator tells
The fire, position ! ever held " iele'
graph operator ~. At Port Monmouth
" J., At that time the terminus OF the
Rariisn and Delaware Bay Railroad. The
ofIiee consisted OF an Old baggage car
standing on sin post. slons'ids " the
track snd within 200 yard. Of the bay.
Oae end Of the car -ss the passenger
WAITING. room, aud ID. eentre vas the
freight department, aud Ia the other end
vas my office. |, WI. no, mose than
,Ish, fee, square aud ~ss half filed BY q
,.ole and stove. Mr.. Blodgsts US Al
that time master mechanic Of the rail-
rad, with hi. Office Ia Manchester. q
small town 10 Occ.n Couniy. HIS tall
figure VI. ffenqasn,ly seen on the en-
sins,. and he often ran over To Port
Monmouth to look after the locomotives
housed there.
A terrible ihgndsr shower came up
from the bay ore day In April. and Mr.
Blodgs,t took shelter In the passenger
-siting. room referred TO A dozen No
men and two OF three men ~sfe .!'o Ia
the little space allotted the passengers.
Ia those days lightning srvsiers ~sie
no, ia general u. In small Telegraph of
fce.. and | doubt II would have kro~n
hos 10 connect one even II one bal been
gwen TO M. The main wire ended al
t'oft Monmouth. wire running from The
Instrument 90 the gioind urdsr the old
c.r This didn't run direct Ia he sfoard.
nowtytr. bat was connected With IN lion
roI. which ran lsng'h-ise Of the cat aud
ended 10 pos, under the Passenger
nom. The lightning on thai particular
day IVES ,euiDias ] nsversA- u sharp
81 for half an hour Il hep, the rslsy IN
q continual rattle like the etplo'i,n Of
nundr,d. nfpeicus.lon caps Al length "a
unusually vivid h,sh vas seen, the 'sls-
graph oiEiee ~.. flied ~iih the psealisr
odor Of sulphur - v,l. kno-n 10 ,sle.
srsphsr. Ia such cases. add ~ilh a report
ike pistol the coil. Of the relay ~'r,
burned osi. and |. half frightened 10
death. efoaehsd IN corner /. f.f from
the wire q. possible. Ten second. later
Ruff. Blodge,t rushed into my little
ihce.
"why don'i you di'eona,ci tia, ground
Sire , be yelled =, the top VI hi' voice.
No-. vas vsry green operator. bat
knew enough 20 stay away from ,h'
~.r,,.
| told Mr.. Blods,,t ihatsll he had 70
30 ga. 10 unf..,en a ,hamb.cfe- n the
side u the car which held both the end Of
The main wif- and the groand sire and
20 pull oue Of the wires out. We didn''
.,sn have an old plug switch in the Of
tee. Mr.. Blodsstt hastily unf.',snsd ,h'
.erew and liberated the end Of the ground
sire before he ls, 10 Of the screw head
The eiregi, through ki' body was CON-
plel,d the in.i.n, The end. Of the wires
ser. separated Ia hi. hands. and the way
he lsw scfo.. thu, car and oui the dor
sould have been ama.ias ~ any other
time. lie ". sImo., psr.lyfsd Or q
fe~ minu,,, Ne We. .lsay, good.
n.iur,d man and he didn't e,ea have me
discharged. which be could easily have
dobe BY reporting the matter TO the sap
,naisndsnt Of Telegraph.